DESCRIPTION: The overall goal of this work is to elucidate the interaction of linker histones with chromatin. Eight different studies are proposed in four groups. Experiments 1 & 2 use a DNA cleavage assay to determine the location and orientation of GH5 and its C- terminal tail bound to nucleosomes. Experiment 3 measures the Kd for nucleosome binding. Experiments 4 & 5 examine the roles of particular residues in nucleosome binding and in cooperative binding to DNA. Experiment 6 addresses sequence-preferences in DNA binding. Experiments 7 & 8 are proposed studies of protein-DNA co-crystals to elucidate the binding of GH5 and its C-terminal tail.